Removable bed side



May V23, 1939. J. ERDos REMOVABLE BED SIDE Filed June ll, 1937 Patented May 23, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REMOVABLE BED SIDE nois Application June 11, 1937, Serial No. 147,638

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in removable bed sides and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In hospitals and sanitariums and similar institutions, certain bed patients require protection against falling out of bed. Bed sides for this purpose now in use are open to certain objections. One type of bed side is provided with means for detachably securing the same in position by engagement with the end parts of the bed. Such sides, however, must be completely removed from the bed by the nurse, before the patient can be properly attended. Such a side is relatively heavy for handling by the vnurse and after removal must be placed out of the way and then replaced after the patient has been attended. Another type of side is hingedly connected to the bed and requires considerable space when swung from its up to its down position. In certain beds, for infants and like patients, and popularly known as cribs, the sides are built into the same and not removable therefrom, but slide up and down into and out of the position of use. r

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a removable bed side Which not only overcomes the objections inherent in sides as now made, but which may be applied to beds already in use and may be readily transierred from one bed to another.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bed side which when removably secured in place to a bed, may be slid in a guided upright path from an up to a down position to give complete access to the bed patient by the attending nurse without requiring the removal of the side from the bed for this purpose.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bed side which cannot bind in its movement from one operative position to another to prevent the intended operation thereof.

Again, it is an object of the invention to provide a side of this kind which may be produced as a unitary structure and to include means whereby it may be readily attached to and removed from a bed by inexperienced persons and without the use of tools.

Again, it is a further object of the invention to provide in a side of this kind, means whereby the side may be removably secured to the side rail of a bed whether the same be of a rectangular or a substantially round cross section.

The above mentioned objects of the invention, as Well as others, together with the advantages thereof will more fully appear as the specification proceeds.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of two end portions of the frame of a bed to which my improved side has been applied.

Fig. 2 is a detail vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale as taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the parts appearing in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail vertical sectional View through parts appearing in Fig. 2 as taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the parts of Fig. 2 in a changed position for use in removably securing the side to a bed having a side rail of a cross section different from that appearing in Fig. 2.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing; IG indicates as a Whole the frame of a conventional bed to which one of the improved sides may be removably secured, it being understood that two of such sides are used for each bed. Said bed frame includes upright head and foot ends Il and I2 respectively, connected together along both sides of the frame by longitudinal side frame members or rails I3 only one of which appears in Fig. 1. In some instances said rails are in the form of a tube of an oval cross section with its major axis arranged vertically, as best appears in Fig. 2. In other instances, Said rails are in the form of an angle bar as indicated at I4 of Fig, 5 with the vertical flange I4a on the outside and facing downwardly and with the horizontal flange Mb at the top and facing inwardly.

The improved side for the bed is indicated as a whole as at I5. Said side includes a vertically arranged frame of a length approximating the distance between the side posts of the head and foot ends of the bed frame and of a height to extend a suitable distance above the bed Inattress I6, when the side is in its "up position as shown in full lines in Fig. l. The frame for the side which is preferably made of metal tubing, includes top and bottom longitudinal members II and I8 and upright end members l9-I9, the said members being joined at their ends to one another by rounded corners. The side also includes a pair of longitudinally spaced upright guide bars 20--20 also of metal tubing and which are secured at their ends to the top and bottom longitudinal members of the frame of the side. Surrounding the top end of each guide bar 20 filler is constituted by longitudinallySpatzen11p'-r right tubes 22 parallel with the guide bars 20 and secured at their ends to the top and bottom members Il and I8 of the frame I5 for the side.

To detachably or removably secure the side in position with respect to the bed frame, so that it may be moved perpendioularly from its up to its down positio-n and vice' versa, a pair of clamping means 23-23 is provided. Said clamping means is of a peculiar character in that in one instance each may be clamped to a bed frame rail o f oval cross section such as shown in Fig. 2 and' each in another instance'may be clamped to abed frame rail of angle bar cross section, as shown in Fig. l5.

Each clamping means -23 includes an inverted L-shaped bracket Vand each tirarmi-itn is made tprovide a vertical guide Supporting plate 24 rhaving an inwardly extending flange 25 at the top end. VAssociated with the 'top end and on the A outside 'of the plate is an -angle bracket 26 consisting of a flange 21 engaged against the outer` t slots 29 through which rivets 30 carried by the plate 24y extend- By this arrangement,.l the bracket 26 may have 'a limitedv rocking movement in the plane `of the flange '21.

` Secured to one face ofthe -a-nge 28 is an upright guide` sleeve 3| in 'which the associated guide bar '29 of; the side has -a sliding lbearing. Pivoted at v32 tc the outer vface of the flange i28 is a latch 33 having a recessw34 in its inner edge and having a cam surface 35 'below said recess. The 'purpose =of said recess and cam surface will appear later. The latches associated with each clamping 'means 23 are connectedtogether by a longitudinal bar 36 for simultaneous actuation. On the top'flang'e V25 of the plate and extend-v ing transversely l'thereof is, an inverted UJ-sha'ped clevis 'that includes a top bar 31 vand depending inner and outer end ar'ms`138 and 39 respectively.A vA longitudinal 'slot '40 is formed inthe central portion of the bar 31 and an upstanding rivet 4I carried bythe plate flange '25 extends through 4said s'lo't. Thus 'the said clevis is capable of a limited amount of movement 'transversely'of the ange 25. `'f'heouter arm 39 carries a set screw '39a` having 'a thumb nut head, 'the opposite end of the screw bei-ngadapte'd for 'engage-- nient against the outer'faee of lthe plate 24. By manipulating the screw 3`9a,"t`he clevis Aisfmoved transversely across the flange 25. y f Associated with the inner face 'of the plate 214 is a pair of plate-like clamping members 142-43, respectiVely, 'Which when disposed. With one end up, are radapted to firmly clamp upon'a rail 'I3 br. oval cross'seetion as shown in Fig. 2, `and when 'disposed withfthe 'other end up are adapted to firmly VVclamp upon arailfl of angle bar cross section as shown 'in Fig. 5. A

'O'ne 'end of 'the 'clamping member v4-2 is formed as a curved 'portion 42a to 'engage upon" one lside or 'ine' tubular rail r3 'and saiujlpornbn is 'pro'-Y viddfwith a shoiildl 6r td Whh'stnds in the plane ofthe afin J3875i the cl'rei"i'eld shape clevis before mentioned. The associated end of the clamping member` 43 is also formed with a curved portion 43a` to engage upon the other side of the rail I3. The other end of `the clamping member 43 carries a right angled flange 45 that faces away .from the plate member 42 and this flange carries a pair of studs 46 having heads spaced fromone face of the flange. A spacerA 4'I`is formed on one face of the flanged end of`. the clamping member 43 for engagement with the inner face of the supporting plate 24 for a purpose to appear later.

A bolt 48 passes through openings in the mid portion of the clamping members 42-43 and one end of said `bolt near its head is squared as at 48a and engages in a vertical slot 49 in the plate member 24. A butterfly nut 50 is threaded upon the other end of the bolt to engage against the clamping member V42. It is apparent that tightening/ulg)Y on the nut draws the two members 4P-"43 of the clamp together.

In applying 'the side as a whole to a bed having aside rail' I3 of tubular formation as shown in Fig. 2, the nut V".il is'l'oo'sened 'and this permits separation of the portions 42e-43a of the clamping plates 42=43 .to an amount whereby said portions may be 'disposed upon opposite sides of the rail i3. Thereafter the nut -5'3 is tightened up and this `draws the two plate parts together so Vthat their end l'portions securely clamp upon opposite lsides 'of the rail. It is to be noted that the 'straight end portion Iof the plate 42a occupies an angled position with its extremity engaging the lplate 43 near its fl'angejextension 45. In the tightening up 'on the nut 50, the plate fulcruins about 'the extremity 'of its vstraight end portion 'and will yield slightly to 'have a spring action to 'function vin the manner 'of a lspring iocknut 'to keep the nut tight. Y

lvThe screw 39fof theclevi's arm 39 is loosened so' that' the cl'e'v'is 'may `be 'shifted inwardly to dispsefits. 'arm 38 in 'engagement with one of the 'studs "4'4 of the 'clamping plate '42. Thereafter the 39a is tightened 'up to draw the clevis outwardly and cause its armto 'have a'good tight engagement with the -stud 44 to act Aas a secondary lock'vfo'i' `'the 'clamp as 'a whole.

When the s ide is "to be applied to a 'bed having 'an angie par side Arail 'ri as in Fig. -5, the clampingiplates 42-43 are 'turned 'about the bolt top. The plates 4'2-443 and the bolt '48 and nut 5 0 as a Vunit are moved upwardly o'f. the slot 49 toA bring .fthe 'flange 45"int`o engagement with the unifier side off lthe 'ia'il `flange Mb and to -bring the studs "46 on "sai'd flange Yinto"engagernent with the edge (if 'said flan'ge T411. The clevis screw39a is then loosened 'so 'that'the clevis 'is moved inwardly across Tits platev flange L25 so as to bring 'the-clevis' arm 'into engagement with the edge 'ofthe'pl'ate an'ge '45. The c'l'evisscrew is then tightened uup Yan'dp'ull's the clevis outwardly so that 'the clevis arm 'tightly clamps against the-edge o'f said ange 45. At this time, the spacerA 4l is disposed just below 'thevertical iviange V`I4a of the rail so'that .the xflange end pornon of 'the plate is is spaced sugnny .from the.

inner face ofthe flange I'4aJ to render the clamping naction of the clevis more effective.

...,.When Vthe side 'is in its down position as shownin dotted lines in Fig. l, the 'rubber bumpers l'L' I Yon Jth'e fgide y*bars 2! engage l'the 'top ofthe sleeifs`3`l fso that'the top `:frame"member n 'fjtn side is uisposedbut slightly above the Tania 'and 'aanneemt-1yibe1owtne-maaress fs 75 on the bed. This gives freedom of access so that the nurse may readily attend the patient. To return the side to its up position, it is only necessary to lift upwardly on the frame bar I'I, the guide bars 20 sliding through the sleeves 3l.

As the bottom frame bar I8 approaches the latches 33, it engages the cam surface 35 thereof so that both latches swing outwardly to allow the bar I8 to pass. When said bar reaches the plane of the recesses 34 in said latches, they swing inwardly so that said bar I8 engages in said recesses to be releasably locked in its up position. To lower the side frame into the down position, the rod 36 is pulled outwardly with one hand, the other hand being engaged with about the middle of the top bar Il of the side frame. When the said rod is thus pulled outwardly this takes the recesses 34 of the latches 33 out of engagement with the bottom bar I8 of the frame so that the frame slides downwardly in the sleeves 3I until stopped by the engagement of the bumpers 2l with the top end of the sleeves.

In raising or lowering the frame I5, it is advisable that it be grasped at about the middle of the bar I'I. Should it be grasped at one side or the other of. the middle, the longer 0r heavier end tends to move downwardly iirst so that the bars 20 may bind in the sleeves. Should this occur, it is only necessary to give the top bar Il a slight tap with the hand in line with the bar on the higher end of the frame. This will cause the angle brackets 26 to rock about the pivot and slot connections 30 and 29 to straighten out and release the binding action so that the frame I5 descends with ease.

Should it be desired to transfer the sides to an unequipped bed, the screws 39a and the nuts are loosened to release the clamping action on the bed rail I3 or I4 for removal. Thus, the entire side with its clamping means may be moved as a unit to another bed for application thereto as described in connection with the firstmentioned one.

While in describing the invention I have referred in detail to the form, arrangement and construction of the various parts involved, the same is to be considered only in its illustrative sense so that I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a bed side construction of the kind described, means providing a guide member with which a part of the bed side has a sliding engagement, means providing a support for said guide member, means associated with said support for detachably securing it to a longitudinal rail of a bed, and means for mounting said lastmentioned means in said support so that it can be turned end for end about said mounting means as an axis into different positions to be detachably secured to bed rails of different cross sectional shape.

2. In a bed side construction of the kind described, means providing a guide member with which a part of the bed side has a sliding engagement, means providing a support for said guide member, means comprising a pair of coacting clamping members adapted for clamping engagement upon the side rail of a bed, and means connecting said clamping members to said support and operable to move said clamping members into clamping engagement upon said side rails, said clamping members being reversible end for end on said connecting means so as to be operable for use on side rails of different cross sectional shapes.

3. In a bed side construction of the kind described, means providing a guide member with which a part of the bed side has a sliding engagement, means providing a support for said guide member, means associated with said support for detachably securing said support to a longitudinal rail of a bed, means comprising clamping plates mounted on said support for Y movement into different positions and formed at the ends to engage different cross sectionally shaped side rails of a bed, and means connecting said clamping plates to said support and for drawing said clamping plates into clamping engagement with said side rail, said clamping plates being reversible end for end on said connecting means to bring the desired end up for engagement with a side rail according to its cross sectional shape.

4. In a bed side construction of the kind described, a supporting plate, clamping plates carried by said supporting plate for detachably securing the latter to the longitudinal rail of a bed, a guide member with which a part of the bed side has a sliding engagement, means connecting said guide member to said supporting plate for a limited rocking movement in a plane parallel with said rail, and means carried by said supporting plate and operable to lock said clamping plates in clamping engagement upon said rail, said clamping plates being reversible end-for-end on said supporting plate to bring the desired end of said clamping plate in the uppermost position.

J OI-IN ERDOS. 

